Best Of Everything Pumpkin Pie

For Mike's birthday every year, I make him something special. One of his very favorite foods (Pickled Pork Chops) that I don't even like to smell, let alone eat. And in turn, for my birthday each year he buys me a cheesecake (he doesn't like cheesecake... I know, weird, right?). It's just one of those simple little gestures that makes our marriage stronger each year. Also, my Pavlonian response gets stronger each year... about two weeks before my birthday I start CRAVING cheesecake. I even ate some in my dreams the other night... so this year I jumped the gun a little and made my own. (Don't worry, I'll still want one in a week too!) To top it off, I decided to make a pumpkin cheesecake. He also doesn't like anything pumpkin... I know you are all wondering how I could be married to such a person, but I've learned over the years that not liking cheesecake and pumpkin doesn't necessarily make you a bad person... in fact, it works great for me because then I don't have to share! mwahaha!
This isn't really a traditional cheesecake, nor is it a traditional pumpkin pie. It's just a little bit of both for a perfectly tasty dessert. (and breakfast, if I'm being honest, since that's what I've had the last two days in a row... what? Don't judge, I have to eat it all by myself!)

Best of Everything Pumpkin Pie

For the "pie":
3/4 cup pumpkin puree (I used fresh pumpkin, you can also use canned)
3 egg yolks
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 tsp nutmeg
pinch of cloves
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
For the cream cheese layer:
1 8-oz bar of softened cream cheese
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 egg whites
2 Tbsp corn starch
For the caramel layer:
1/4- 1/2 cup soft caramel topping (click here for recipe)
1/2 cup pecan or walnut pieces (optional)
For the crust: (or to save time, use a pre-made chocolate graham cracker crust)
3/4 cup chocolate chip cookie crumbs or graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup ground walnuts (optional)
2 Tbsp brown sugar
3 Tbsp melted butter

1. For the crust, I used chocolate chip cookies that I bought at a school bake sale (they were overcooked and barely edible- but, hey I'm supporting my local school, right?). To make fine crumbs, I used the dry blender for my Vita-mix and pulsed until they were the consistency I liked. I also added the walnuts in with the crumbs to grind them up. To that, combine brown sugar and melted butter and press into a regular-sized pie plate.

2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine pumpkin, egg yolks, 1 1/2 cups sugar and spices. In a seperate bowl, whip together cream cheese, sour cream, vanilla, brown sugar, egg whites and corn starch.

3. Carefully spread a layer of cream cheese mixture across the top of the crust. If there's any extra cream cheese mixture, stir it into the pumpkin mixture. Spoon caramel over the top of the cream cheese. Sprinkle with pecans or walnuts if desired. Finally, pour pumpkin mixture over the top of caramel to fill the remainder of the pie.

4. Bake at 350 F for 50-55 minutes. Do not overbake, center may be soft but it will firm up when chilled. Let pie cool on a wire rack, then refrigerate. Top with ice cream, whipped cream or caramel (or all!- it is best of everything, right?). Serve and enjoy!

**I have no amazing "finished pie" picture... my 2-year old found my pies (I doubled the above recipe and made one large pie and several mini pies) and dug right in while they were still cooling. I was even going to give some away but thought it might be tacky to give somebody a pie that's been spooned into. Oh well, guess I eat them all myself...